1. Field of the Invention
Edible liquid flavoring, coloring, or stabilizing compositions suitable for electrostatic deposition upon an edible food substrate, a method for such deposition, the thus-treated or coated edible food substrate, and a method for adjusting and controlling the resistivity of edible liquid compositions with food-grade edible flavoring, coloring, or stabilizing agents, if necessary together with one or more resistivity-modifying edible food-grade organic diluents, so as to make the final composition electrostatically chargeable and depositable upon the edible food substrate, wherein all of the essential ingredients are themselves edible and ingestible materials.
The present application discloses that, by the selection of an appropriate food-grade edible base material selected from oil and fluid fat, which itself has a resistivity higher than the maximum of the range permitting electrostatic charging and deposition thereof at the temperature employed, and one or more edible organic additaments selected from the group consisting of food-grade flavorings and colorings and stabilizers, and if necessary or desirable one or more resistivity-modifying additaments selected from the group consisting of food-grade organic diluents, a final liquid flavoring, coloring, or stabilizing composition can readily be arrived at which has a resistivity suitable for electrostatic charging and deposition at the temperature employed, thereby to effect electrostatic deposition upon an edible food substrate for the purposes of flavoring, coloring, or adding stability thereto. In the selection of suitable ingredients for the aforesaid purposes, reference to the Examples and the Tables hereof will be of assistance to one skilled in the art in arriving at a final composition which is suitable for the intended purposes. Materials herein identified as "resistivity modifiers" reduce the resistivity of a fat or oil when dissolved, emulsified, or dispersed therein, as will be apparent from the Examples and Tables which follow.
2. Prior Art
Electrostatic technology is widely employed in industry to apply coatings to a variety of manufactured articles, including:
metal goods such as rolled steel or aluminum with a coat of lubricating and protecting oil. PA1 automobiles and major appliances with paint in both powdered (later thermally fused) and liquid form. PA1 food products with seasonings. PA1 More than one step can be required. Often a bonding agent, oil or water, must be applied prior to the addition of solid seasoning. The addition of oil contradicts the market need for minimal fat application. Not many food items can tolerate added water. PA1 The adhesion of solid seasoning to snack food is often poor, even if a two-step approach is taken. This results in wasted seasoning and increased costs to the consumer. A 10% loss of the expensive seasoning mixture is typical. PA1 Uneven application of the flavor and color ingredients to the product often result. PA1 a method for the production of a coated or treated edible food substrate involving the adjustment and control of the resistivity of an edible base material selected from oils and fluid fats, to provide a liquid composition suitable for electrostatic charging and deposition upon an edible food substrate at the temperature employed, comprising the steps of: admixing with the edible base material one or more edible resistivity modifiers; selecting said edible resistivity modifiers from the group consisting of edible food-grade organic flavoring agents, coloring agents, stabilizing agents, and organic diluents; including in said liquid composition at least one edible organic flavoring agent, coloring agent, or stabilizing agent whether or not it is a resistivity modifier; and then electrostatically depositing the liquid composition upon an edible food substrate; such PA1 a method wherein the resistivity modifiers are selected from flavoring agents, coloring agents, and stabilizing agents; and PA1 a solid edible food substrate electrostatically coated or treated with an edible liquid composition produced by such a method. PA1 Also, such PA1 a method wherein the organic diluent is selected from GRAS foodstuff ingredients; such PA1 a method wherein the organic diluent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycerine and benzyl alcohol; such PA1 a method wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oils, fish oils, and a liquified or melted animal fat or shortening; such PA1 a method wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of soy oil, almond oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, palm oil, olive oil, rice grain oil, corn oil, safflower oil; lard, tallow, mutton fat, beef fat, turkey fat, chicken fat, or pork fat; menhaden oil, herring oil, sardine oil, or cod oil; such PA1 a method wherein the edible food substrate treated or coated is selected from the group consisting of potato or corn chips, crackers, cookies, dry foods, nuts, cereals, grains, dry pet foods, and animal feeds; such PA1 a method wherein a flavoring, coloring, or stabilizing agent, selected from the group consisting of char oil, onion oil, garlic oil, butter flavoring, cheese flavoring, black pepper oil, oleoresin cumin, oleoresin cardamon, oleoresin ginger, annatto extract, ascorbic acid, rosemary extract, sage extract, or another Labiatae natural antioxidant extract, is included in the liquid composition; such PA1 a method wherein a flavoring, coloring, or stabilizing agent, selected from the group consisting of capsicum oleoresin, paprika oleoresin, carrot oleoresin, chlorophyll, and phosphate, is included in the liquid composition; such PA1 a method wherein the base material comprises a vegetable oil; such PA1 a method wherein the base material comprises soy oil and a selected resistivity modifier is oleoresin paprika or oleoresin capsicum; such PA1 a method wherein the percentage of all flavoring, coloring, and stabilizing agents included in the liquid composition is between about 0.2 and 20% by weight, such PA1 a method wherein the percentage of all flavoring, coloring, and stabilizing agents included in the liquid composition is at least about 3% by weight; such PA1 a method wherein the composition is applied to both top and bottom surfaces of the edible food substrate simultaneously; such PA1 a method wherein the composition is applied sequentially to the top and bottom surfaces of the edible food substrate; and such PA1 a method wherein, after the coating of the edible food substrate, one or more solid edible coating materials are applied to the edible food substrate. PA1 (I) a food-grade edible base material selected from oil and fluid fat, which itself has a resistivity higher than the maximum of the range permitting electrostatic charging and deposition and which is therefore not per se electrostatically chargeable and depositable, and PA1 (II) one or more edible food-grade organic additaments selected from the group consisting of (a) a flavoring agent, and (b) a coloring agent, (c) a stabilizing agent, (d) an organic diluent, PA1 (III) at least one additament being selected from the group consisting of (a), (b), and (c), PA1 (I) a food-grade edible base material selected from oil and fluid fat, which itself has a resistivity higher than the maximum of the range permitting electrostatic charging and deposition and which is therefore not per se electrostatically chargeable and depositable, and PA1 (II) one or more edible food-grade organic additaments selected from the group consisting of (a) a flavoring agent, (b) a coloring agent, (c) a stabilizing agent, and (d) an organic diluent, PA1 (III) at least one additament being selected from the group consisting of (a), (b), and (c), PA1 Blends of annatto and/or turmeric and/or paprika. PA1 Rosemary extract--minor amount w/w PA1 Vegetable oil--major amount w/w PA1 Rosemary extract--minor amount w/w PA1 Vegetable oil--major amount w/w PA1 Polysorbate 80.RTM. remainder PA1 Herbalox.RTM.O--major amount w/w PA1 Hydroxylated lecithin--minor amount w/w PA1 Panodan--minor amount w/w PA1 Herbalox.RTM.O--minor amount w/w PA1 Ascorbic acid &lt;38 microns on largest dimension-minor amount w/w PA1 Vegetable oil--major amount w/w PA1 Char oil hickory smoke flavoring--minor amount w/w PA1 Herbalox.RTM.O--minor amount w/w PA1 Panodan.RTM.--minor amount w/w PA1 Centrolene.RTM.--remainder PA1 Plus minor w/w percentages of one or more of the following: OR (oleoresin) Black Pepper, OR Ginger, OR Nutmeg, OR Clove, OR Capsicum, OR Cinnamon, Oil of Black Pepper, Aquaresin.RTM. Onion (OR or oil of onion in vegetable oil), Aquaresin.RTM. Garlic (OR or oil of garlic in vegetable oil). PA1 Oleoresin Paprika--major amount w/w PA1 Ascorbalox.RTM. Type A--minor amount w/w PA1 This is a resistivity modifier.
The technology takes advantage of the attraction/repulsion properties of electrically-charged materials to deliver the coating to the substrate. Charged particles (droplets in the case of a liquid) are accelerated through an electric field and attracted toward the object to be coated which is held at an opposite potential or at electrical ground. Since the like-charged particles tend to repel each other, they coat the object in a uniform manner. Two approaches are generally used for forming the charged particles. In one, uncharged atomized particles or droplets are directed to drift past an electrode charged with a potential on the order of 40 to 300 kilovolts (kV), preferably 80-120 kV. In the corona zone, the air-filled, ionizing region of intense electrostatic activity surrounding the electrode, the particles or droplets pick up an electrical charge and are accelerated toward electrical ground. In a second approach, particularly applicable to liquids, the atomization and charging steps can be effected simultaneously, provided the liquid has a suitable electrical resistivity. When the electrical resistivity is in the range of approximately 0.05-300, preferably about one (1) to 150 megaphm-cm, liquid coming into contact with the high potential electrode is ejected from the electrode surface in a very fine mist of charged droplets. Either approach is applicable according to the present invention, with the latter being preferred.